Belle
by Valisco
Summary: Because that smile, along with that silky, jet black hair makes her look so lovely.


**AN: Disclaimer:** I don't own PMMM.

Also, this takes place after the TV anime ending, it has no connection to the movies.

**Puella Magi Madoka Magica © Gen Urobuchi, Shaft, & Aniplex.**

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Belle

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She questions herself as to why she has come here.

She shouldn't be, after all it was because of her own decisions that caused her presence to be here. There was no obligation, she did not have to do this.

But she did, and she remembers why.

Mami invited her to come to her apartment for some tea and cake after a recent battle with a few demons they fought. Homura was reluctant to agree, but Mami refused to give up on her, rather she kept pushing her for an answer.

"I'll think about it," Homura finally said, and decided to leave the battlefield.

And now, here she stands in front of the door of Mami's apartment, she lifts pne of her hands to knock on the door, but then puts it back down, she ponders whether she should do this.

Homura is not a social person, she never was, usually others had to invite her in, otherwise she would not budge. She remembers the days when it was Madoka that took her out of her shell. Madoka, the girl who became her first ever friend, the girl who did not reject or tease her in anyway, because of her illness, she welcomed her for who she was, and therefore she became someone precious in Homura's heart.

Homura suddenly shakes her head. She should not be thinking about her, Madoka is no longer around, she is out there but not here. She is out fulfilling her wish, her duty as the savior of Puella Magi, which was something Homura tried to prevent, but she could not interfere with fate. As much as it gave Homura pain of never seeing her again, she had to move on, while she will always have Madoka in her heart, she can not give up and enter a deep depression because her beloved friend is no longer physically present. Also she is sure that Madoka would not want to see her upset.

Her usual lifeless orbs let out a spark of determination and she finally knocks the door.

She hears the beating against the door, Mami who is sitting down near her table, and was about to take a sip of her herbal tea, rises up. She lets out a smile, she knows who it is from.

She walks toward the door and opens it, still flashing her smile. "So you have decided to come, Akemi-san?"

"I told you before that there is no need to be so formal," Homura says firmly, ignoring Mami's question. "Just call me Homura." She never understood why Mami could not grasp that, Homura has told her plenty of times that there is no need to be so polite to her, but Mami did not listen.

"I am sorry, it's just a force of habit, I suppose," Mami laments. Her parents who were from a high class status taught her to respect and call people by their names in a proper, formal manner.

"It's fine," Homura mumbles, she proceeds to take off her school shoes and steps into the shiny wooden floor. She looks at the table in the middle of the room. "Is that where we are having the tea and cake?"

"Ah yes!" Mami nods. "I'll go get the tea!" She goes into a closet and pulls out a small cushion, which she places across from where she is sitting. "Here, Akemi-san—er Homura-chan, come and sit here!"

_Homura-chan. _Homura chuckles at that name, while it gives her a vague but pleasant feeling by someone who used to call her that, she does not mind if Mami does as well.

_At least she is finally listening to me._

Mami enters the kitchen while Homura sits on the cushion, she lets out a deep sigh. Suddenly, she questions as to why Kyoko is not here, after all she is part of the team as well, maybe she will come in later. She then looks around the apartment, it has been quite a while since she has been here, there is not a lot decorations in this place, it looks rather plain.

_I guess Mami likes to keep things simple. . . _She thinks.

Mami arrives to the table with the tea set, and sets it on the table. "I hope you like herbal tea." She puts a teacup with a plate on Homura's side of the table. Then with her tea kettle she pours the hot liquid into her cup. "Enjoy."

Homura stares into the cup for a few seconds, she then lifts the tea cup, blows it and takes a sip.

"Well?"

Homura's eyes led to where the voice is from, Mami who sitting across from her, asking whether the tea is fine or not.

She sets her teacup down. "It's alright. Is this herbal tea Green?"

"No, it's Peppermint."

"Ah, and where is Kyoko?"

Mami raises her brow. "Hmm, Sakura-san?"

"I am wondering whether she will be here or not," Homura explains. "Or. . .did you just invite me?"

"The latter."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I barely ever see you, I only do at school and when we are in battle. I was thinking that this would be the perfect time for us to spend some quality time together. We are friends, right?"

"I see," Homura says. _Friends. _She supposes it is a fitting term, although they are usually seen as acquaintances.

"Is there a problem with that?"

She shakes her head and takes another sip of her tea.

Mami lets out another light grin, she is a little amused at how tight Homura is, but she guesses it is natural, since she always looks so stoic in her eyes. She then stares at Homura's hair, it's long, but it looks soft, and it has a shine to it.

"You have such lovely hair," she comments.

Homura says nothing, rather she looks at the window nearby them, and she notices that the sun is starting to set. Night is starting to creep into the sky. Mami says her compliment again, this time Homura looks back at her, who still has not said a word.

"I mean it," Mami adds. "What kind of shampoo do you use?"

Homura lets out a light shrug, but she does notice how her hair has changed, she recalls how it used to be in braids tied with ribbons. Now she has nothing but the red ribbon Madoka gave to her which is on her head as a headband.

"May I brush it?"

A strange question from Mami to Homura. Brush it? Homura blinks.

"I promise I will be gentle with it," Mami says reassuringly.

Homura looks down on her tea, then back at her, who is patiently waiting for an answer. "Fine," she finally mutters.

This makes Mami's smile even brighter, she tells her that she will return with a brush, meanwhile Homura suddenly feels a little nervous. She never really had something like this happen before, usually it is her who would take care of her own hair, now someone else wants to, is this what friends do? Perhaps.

Mami returns with the brush, she sits behind Homura, who motions for a comfortable position.

"You may want to take the headband off," Mami states, Homura reaches to the ribbon, but Mami puts her hands back down. "I'll take care of it." Homura lets out a small blush at the gesture, she lets out faint trembles as the ribbon is released from her hair from Mami's delicate hands. Then Mami proceeds to use her brush on Homura's hair. The brush penetrates through it, and Mami gently pulls the brush down.

She repeats this process a few times. "Such beautiful hair," she says sweetly, Homura emits another small blush at Mami's compliment as she sits quietly, allowing Mami to do her work.

"Homura-chan," mumbles Mami. "You look so peaceful, also I wish I had hair such as yours."

Homura motions her eyes to Mami's yellow curls. "Yours don't look so bad," she mumbles. "The curls suit you."

"Do they? Why thank you. But I just adore this hair, mine is all curly and such, yours is straight and beautiful. In fact, you are beautiful with it."

This time Homura's face becomes even more red. "E—excuse me?"

"You heard me," Mami responds softly, she continues to brush her hair. "You're beautiful with this hair Homura-chan, it suits you. Very beautiful."

"Uh. . .I. . ." Homura begins to quiver, who is quite embarrassed by the compliment.

Mami lets out a giggle at the scene. "There is no need to be shy around me, Homura-chan. No need."

She lets out one last brush, and she tells her it is done. Mami ties the ribbon back to Homura's hair and proceeds to take her to a mirror.

"See? You look beautiful."

Homura looks away from the reflection, still embarrassed. "Can—can we just have the cake now?" She stammers, wanting to change the subject.

Mami nods. "Of course, but on one condition."

"W—what is it?"

"That you let me brush your hair again another time. I just adore it, and I am sure you enjoyed your hair being treated nicely by someone else. Because if you didn't, you would have protested, but you seemed to not have mind."

Homura's eyes widened at those statements. _Did I. . .like it?_

"You did enjoy the hair treatment from me, correct?" Mami teases playfully, she smirks at her friend.

Homura suddenly jumps into defense, she frowns at Mami, the nerve of her to tease!

"What are you talking about? You're one who enjoyed it! Not me!"

Mami chuckles at her statement. "Aww, look at you, you've become shy! There is no need to hide your feelings from me, Homura-chan!"

"Mami Tomoe! Enough of this!"

"Why? This is so much fun!"

"Mami!" Homura yells, who is flustered.

Giggles are still heard and Homura groans while she face palms, the giggles then come to an end and Mami ends her teasing. "Alright, alright. I am done messing with you."

"Good," Homura responds firmly, her back is turned against Mami, her expression is also hidden, but Mami assumes that she is probably her serious self again.

Even so, Mami still has one last thing to say. "But Homura-chan, I really meant what I said. So, do we have a deal?"

Then Mami notices something strange yet astonishing. Homura regains her composure, she turns to her and lets out a small smile, something she has not done in a long time, something that Mami has one word to describe it: _Cute_.

It occurs to her that she truly did enjoy it.

"Yes."

Mami smiles in relief, also it even makes her happier to see Homura in such a pleasant state. It's such a rare thing to see, the stoic, usually resolute Homura is actually smiling.

Mami feels accomplished.

Because that smile, along with that silky, jet black hair makes her look so lovely.

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**AN: **Please tell me I am not the only one who ships them. An interesting, yet underrated pairing. I hope you enjoyed this fic, despite it being a little cheesy in my opinion. Hehe.


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